How do you know who someone is? I don’t mean who they say they are, but who they really are? How do you determine it?

I think we do so by watching the way a person acts. As my friend, Todd, likes to say, “acta non verba (actions not words).”

When you think about the important verbs of Christianity, what comes to your mind? For me they are listen, obey and learn. The more I try to walk in the way of Jesus the more odd this is beginning to seem. It is as if we are saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

As I read through the Jesus story through the eyes of John I am struck that his primary verbs are those of sight.

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. John 1:35-39, NIV

Right before this bit, we have the description of John the Baptist *seeing* Jesus and he declares Jesus' identity as the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He also talks about seeing the Holy Spirit in the form a dove resting on Jesus. It's quite a powerful moment, in and of itself. On this, the next day, he sees Jesus again and again declares his identity.

This must have been a usual place for Jesus to hang out, because it is back to back days that John sees Jesus and declares his identity. I think it might be a safe assumption that these were not the only two days that he did such a thing.

Two disciples of John, one of whom was Andrew (we learn this later), hears what John says and then begin following Jesus.

The interaction here cracks me up. Can you imagine it in your mind?

Jesus is walking down the path minding his own business and realizes that he’s being followed. Perhaps he slows or speeds up or glances over his shoulder. Finally he turns and confronts the men following him, “What do you want?”

Their reply seems odd, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”

Jesus' response? “Come and see.”

I think that there are a load of things happening in this little conversation. First, we are told they were John’s disciples. These two heard what John the Baptist said and simply walked away. They were committed as disciples to John the Baptist but had the freedom to simply go after Jesus. I think this tells us much about who John the Baptist was. I almost get the sense that John was telling his disciples to go after Jesus. This man’s humility was displayed by him pointing out the messiah and then freeing his disciples to go.

Second, these two disciples follow Jesus. This phrase, “to follow” will come up a lot in the Gospel. While they were physically following him, I think John wants us to understand that there was something else going on here too. They knew from their, now former Rabbi, that Jesus was the Messiah. They were ready to follow him spiritually, as well.

Third, this question, “What do you want?” is also probably layered. It is a very natural response to someone who is following after you but it is also probably a deeper question. I think we can assume that Jesus knew that these two were John the Baptist’s disciples. He probably saw them hanging around. Besides, John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins and both living in a small town. Surely, Jesus knew John the Baptist’s circle of friends. So, this question probably was also in reference to a deeper spiritual reality.

When we consider this, their request to see where Jesus was staying takes on a bit more significance. Again, assuming that they probably already knew where Jesus was living, this was likely a way to say, “We would like to talk with you in private.” But, there is also another interesting layer here. This word translated as “staying” is the word that will later be translated “adide” in the famous John 15 passage. Could there have been a spritual layer to this question as well?

As I consider all this, Jesus reply, “Come and see,” is so much more profound than a simple “come on over”. It is an invitation to them to join him, to come to where he was physically staying. Jesus invites them in to his home. But, I think the, “and see” may point us toward the deeper layer of Jesus abiding in relationship to the Father. Jesus, I think, is encouraging to see if what they have heard about him is actually true.

That is a challenge.

Over my years of ministry the greatest push back I have received from people who do not follow Jesus is that Christians are hypocrites. So many of their interactions with Christians have been colored by bait and switches or by Christians saying one thing and doing another. Folks see the news that another Christian leader has fallen into moal failure. Some who grew up going to church experienced or witnessed spiritual abuse at the hands of church leaders.

So, when they hear a Christian talking about the message of Jesus, they are skeptical. They are skeptical because their eyes have told them that Christians do not believe the message they are proclaiming. This is because for a long time, many of us have become “go and tell” Christians as opposed to “come and see” Christians. There has been a move in the church of the West to focus on the words we say as opposed to the lives we live. If someone can simply say the right thing, that is all that matters. Yet, this is an anemic form of Christianity, a cheap grace, if you will.

As I reflect on Jesus' conversation with these two disciples, I desperately want my life to be one that displays the gospel. I don’t my life to be one that asks people to ignore the man behind the curtain. My desire, my hope is that when someone looks at my life they see the reflection of the way of Jesus.

What do I hope for them to see reflected in how I live? I want them to see unconditional love, unconditional grace, unconditional mercy, unconditional compassion, and unconditional empathy. I want my gospel telling to be “come and see.”

Where do I abide? Come and see!